The Congress party on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making a “desperate U-turn” on the caste census issue and demanded that he admit his government’s policy shift and provide a clear timeline for the survey.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh pointed out that until recently, PM Modi had strongly opposed a caste census. He cited a 2021 statement in Parliament and a Supreme Court affidavit where the Modi government had officially said it would not count castes other than SCs and STs. Ramesh also reminded that in a recent TV interview on April 28, 2024, Modi had called those demanding a caste census “urban naxals.”
Now, with the Centre announcing that caste data will be collected in the next census, the Congress asked if the PM would honestly explain the policy reversal. The party also questioned whether the PM would commit to a timeline and explain the reason behind the change.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) also issued a resolution asking the government to remove the 50% cap on caste-based reservations and to clearly lay out each stage of the proposed caste census.
The opposition has accused the Modi government of opposing useful policies initially, only to adopt them later under public pressure. The caste census has become a major political issue, with several states like Bihar, Telangana, and Karnataka already conducting such surveys.
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